“Swan Lake,” a cornerstone of the ballet repertoire, is a bird of many feathers.

Since its poorly received 1877 debut in Moscow, the story about a young prince, a beautiful but cursed woman whom he loves and an evil sorcerer who keeps them apart has been altered many times. The accepted “classic” version was choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov in 1895; Julius Reisinger’s original choreography for the Bolshoi Ballet, though it was performed more than 40 times, didn’t survive the tests of time and tastes.

Still, alterations and reinventions continued throughout the 20th century. So it could be said that French choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot is merely continuing a tradition with “LAC,” his new version of “Swan Lake,” which is being presented March 7-9 at the Segerstsrom Center for the Arts by his company, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, in its American debut.

“It’s been one of those projects that I have been thinking about for 10 years or more,” said Maillot, the company’s artistic director as well as its principal choreographer.

Maillot, who worked with the award-winning writer Jean Rouaud on his new “Swan Lake,” admires the radically reconsidered all-male version created by British choreographer Matthew Bourne in 1995. But the story, and Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, allow for ample latitude of interpretation, Maillot believes.

“I knew I didn’t want to do anything that was close to what Matthew did. I think sometimes when (reconsidering) the classics, either you can stick close to the intent of the story or you have a kind of irony to it and change its purpose completely. That’s what Matthew did – place the work in an entirely different context. That is not what I wanted to do.”

Aesthetically, Maillot describes himself as more traditionally oriented than his British colleague. “I am coming from a classical background. I needed to have an idea that allowed me to explore it without changing it completely.”

About two years ago, Maillot finally got his first idea.

“I realized that there was one thing that was really bothering me about (the original ‘Swan Lake’ story). It is about a woman who is human some of the time and a swan some of the time, and I have never seen that (difference) shown very well in ‘Swan Lake.’

“How does moving and thinking like an animal make us look different? I thought, ‘OK, so she doesn’t have any hands. Hands are what make us human, how we touch each other. The swans can’t have them, of course.’”

Drawn to animal passions

Maillot also did some deep thinking about the symbolism behind the Odette/Odile dichotomy. Odette is the beautiful young woman whom Prince Siegfried falls in love with; a curse turns her into a white swan by day. Odile is the daughter of the powerful sorcerer, Von Rothbart, who’s also the source of the curse. Odile’s bird form is a black swan, though her father makes her appear in human form as Odette to trick the prince into proposing marriage to her.

Maillot came to think of Odette and Odile as the contrast between idealized and real-world attraction.

“The most beautiful love we had was our first one when we were very young,” the choreographer said. “We see it as something perfect and remember it all our life. The prince dreams about a white swan, who is the ideal. It’s not sexual – I don’t think (that relationship) is about sexual attraction but rather an ode to women.”

But Siegfried also finds Odile irresistible, Maillot believes. She represents everything Odette can never be.

“He also is attracted to the black swan because it is human nature to be drawn to sexuality and (animal passions). It is something instinctive that we are powerless to fight against. It is why wildness and excess exist in the human personality – why we have a dark side.”

Tchaikovsky’s music gave Maillot an idea about another element he wanted to accentuate.

“The score by Tchaikovsky is amazing. It just keeps growing and growing and growing and finally brings you to this amazing place. It helped me to see that (‘Swan Lake’) is almost like a thriller. When we did it in Moscow someone came backstage afterwards and told me exactly that.”

Maillot emphasizes, however, that he doesn’t expect or want his version of “Swan Lake” to supersede Petipa’s as that choreographer’s work did with the original incarnation of the ballet.

“I have talked to people who are new to ballet and they think that (my version) is the original story. But I don’t think it’s ever good for one to push the other out. I don’t like this idea of comparing and saying one version of ‘Swan Lake’ is better than another. Each one has amazing things to offer. You have to go with an open mind.”

A scene from 'LAC' by Jean-Christophe Maillot and danced by his company, Le Ballets de Monte-Carlo. It can be seen at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts from March 7-9. ALICE BLANGERO
A scene from "Lac." Since its poorly received 1877 debut in Moscow, the story about a young prince, a beautiful but cursed woman whom he loves and an evil sorcerer who keeps them apart has been altered many times. LAURENT PHILIPPE
Aesthetically, 'LAC' choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot describes himself as more traditionally oriented than his British colleague. “I am coming from a classical background. I needed to have an idea that allowed me to explore it without changing it completely.” ANGELA STERLING
A scene from "LAC." Choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot also did some deep thinking about the symbolism behind the Odette/Odile dichotomy. ALICE BLANGERO
"LAC" choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot, who worked with the award-winning writer Jean Rouaud on his new “Swan Lake,” admires the radically reconsidered all-male version created by British choreographer Matthew Bourne in 1995. But the story, and Tchaikovsky's beloved score, allow for ample latitude of interpretation, Maillot believes. ANGELA STERLING
A scene from "LAC." Its appearance in Orange County next month is its North American premiere. LAURENT PHILIPPE
Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo returns to the Segerstrom Center with the American premiere of Jean-Christophe Maillot's interpretation of "Swan Lake." Maillot's work was seen last fall at the Segerstrom Center in an evening of new work for dancer Diana Vishneva. ALICE BLANGERO
A scene from "LAC." ANGELA STERLING

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